Did you know that, according to Small Biz Genius, there are over 2 million real estate agents who are working in the US? Additionally, 75% of home buyers decide to work with the first real estate agent they interview.
Considering these statistics, it’s important for you, as a real estate agent, to find a way to stand out in a crowded market. This can be quite stressful.
However, by choosing real estate photographers, and using strategies such as this to offer your clients the best, you can stand out. But how do you find the right photographer for you?
In this guide, we’ll review everything you need to consider when choosing the best real estate photographer for your business.
Finally, you can give your clients the best and make more money in your business than ever. Read on to learn more.
Real Estate Photography Experience
Before you choose a real estate photographer, you need to ensure that they have enough real estate photography experience. For example, if they usually shoot weddings but have only photographed homes a few times, they might not be the right choice.
For this reason, you should ask the person offering real estate photography services how long they’ve been doing real estate photography. Additionally, you should ask how many homes they’ve taken pictures of in total.
You should also ask about experience related to types of homes and areas of the house, which we’ll cover now.
Types of Homes
One of the questions you should ask a potential real estate photographer is what types of homes they have the most experience taking photographs of. This way, you can find the best match for you.
For example, if you mostly sell larger houses in the suburbs, then you should choose a photographer who photographs these homes instead of one who mostly photographs holiday homes or condominiums.
Areas of the House and Appliances
You should also ask about the areas of the house and appliances the real estate photo service provider has covered. This way, you can ensure that they take these types of pictures in a way that focuses on elements and features the way you want them to.
For example, if they take photos of home appliances, you might want them to capture the quality of these appliances and features that demonstrate who high-tech the appliances are.
When they take bathroom pictures, do they take pictures that make this area seem visually appealing? Do they show off some features such as hidden storage or a beautiful detail on the sink?
You’ll also want to make sure that pictures of areas of the house and appliances show everything in a realistic way related to size.
Additionally, choose a real estate photographer in Houston or elsewhere who specializes not only in interior photographs of the home but also in exterior ones.
This way, a well-landscaped lawn, deck, or pool can stand out beautifully in the photographs they take.
It will also make it easier for your clients to understand the size of the property and what it looks like overall.
Recommendations
One great way to narrow down your list of potential photographers is by getting recommendations. This is an effective strategy, as you’ll be asking people you trust for these recommendations.
Start by speaking with realtor professionals in your industry. For example, if there’s a local realtor organization you belong to, you could ask them if they have any recommendations.
Additionally, get in touch with any realtors in your area you have good relationships with and ask them who they recommend.
Finally, ask family and friends for recommendations. You never know who might have a family member or friend who’s a photographer or who has had a real estate photographer take pictures of their home during the selling process.
When you ask people for recommendations, it’s also a good idea to ask the right questions.
For example, ask what they liked best about working with the photographer. You should also ask about their rates, anything that made them stand out, and whether their past client would want to hire them again.
Testimonials and Reviews
In addition to what people you know have to say, it’s important to get informed regarding what others think of the different photographers you’re considering. So, first off, see whether there are any testimonials on their photography websites.
However, don’t stop there. To get a more objective idea of how good these photographers are, you should take a look at online reviews.
Use websites such as Google My Business and Yelp to do this.
When looking at these reviews, note that a few bad reviews aren’t a problem. Any business is like to have unhappy customers, even if it’s a good business.
However, if there are many negative reviews, consider hiring a different photographer.
Portfolio
In addition to testimonials, something else you’ll be likely to find on photographer websites is their portfolio. This can help provide you with an idea of whether you like the photographer’s style.
When looking at portfolios, consider the color schemes, what objects the photographer focuses on, and how they use elements such as lights and zooming in.
This will help you figure out if the photographer is the right fit for your realtor business.
Additional Technical Aspects
There are also additional technical aspects you should consider when choosing a real estate photographer. For example, if you want the photographs to be touched up, the photographer should know how to use photo editing software.
Depending on your needs, you might want to hire a photographer who has access to drone technology and knows how to use it.
This can be useful if you want to provide your clients with a larger-than-life view of the home or property.
There are also physical technologies to consider, such as camera types.
You should also think about whether you want to hire a photographer who has videography experience.
This can be quite beneficial and is worth considering. By providing your clients with an immersive video experience, you can more easily help them envision what it would be like to live in their potential new home.
Social Media
Oftentimes, photographers will post many of their pictures on social media – Instagram, especially, is popular. This means a few things for you. First of all, you can use social media to look for real estate photographers who interest you.
By using hashtags that are trending amount real estate photographers, freelance photographers, and real estate agents, you can find them.
You can also do local searches this way. For example, if you’re looking for Houston real estate photography services, you could use location hashtags relating to Houston.
Exploring photographers’ posts on social media will also provide you with the opportunity to see if you enjoy their style.
Just like when looking at portfolios, this will help. you narrow down your list of potential photographers.
Communication Style
Something else to consider when choosing the best real estate photographer is their communication style. After all, this is someone you’ll need to communicate with regularly until all the photos have been taken.
If the photographer will also be providing editing services, you will be communicating with them even more often until you have the final result.
To understand how well photographers communicate, think about how quickly they reply to emails, how clear they are about their photography and editing processes, and how helpful they are when answering your questions.
Additionally, are they polite on the phone and in email correspondence? This will all help you choose a photographer who will be good to work with and professional.
Cost
Whether you’re looking for a real estate photographer in Houston or elsewhere, you should also think about the cost. Generally speaking, a photography shoot will cost somewhere between $110 to $300, so this can be your ballpark figure.
To decide on what cost works for you, speak with several photographers about how much they charge. Additionally, ask about how they charge, as some may charge hourly while others will charge flat rates per project.
Eventually, you’ll have an idea of how much these costs usually are in your area and what you can afford.
For example, you can get learn what prices are like for Austin real estate photography, San Antonio real estate photography, Dallas real estate photography, or Houston area real estate photography.
Note that, just because a photographer might have prices that are slightly more, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth considering. If they have a lot to offer, they could be worth it.
Additionally, a photographer whose costs are low might be too good to be true. Keep this in mind, too.
Need Help Choosing Real Estate Photographers?
Now that you know some of the strategies needed when it comes to choosing real estate photographers, you might feel more ready to do so yourself. However, you still might feel that you need help doing so.
In this case, we can help by offering you our services. At 154 Photography, we offer photography services with speed, care, and quality as Houston real estate photo professionals serving real estate agents in this area.
To learn more about how we can help you, contact us now.